The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1887-08-13

turning W tne ieit, presently louhu thSlh
selves in the enclosed garden called the
Lindarajah. Here orange and lemon trees
made the air heavy with the scent of their
blossoms, and between the branches of the
cedars and acacias the rays of the moon
came in fitful CLEANS.
Suddenly Patty exclaimed: "Why, there
is Don Ramon's easel p
There it was, sure enough, and going up
to it they observed with surprise that his
paint box lay open beside, and that all his
painting utensils were scattered around as
if he had only just left off painting,
"How strange" said Patty. "I thought
when he did not come in to dinner that he
had gone off on one of his sketching ex-
cursions, but here are all his things, just as
he must have left them when he finished
the picture of the gypsy aud brought it to
show me this morning. He has never been
back to take them away"
"Did he say nothing of his intentions z
asked Miss Wickham.
"He said he intended asking old Anto-
nio, the guardian of the Tore de Ia vela,
to sit to him next; but he has, perhaps,
changed his mind"
pHe has very likely fallen in with
friend, aud gone off to dine with him IN
the town. That is what he has done,
opined Mr.. Birley.
Patty was putting Don Ramon's things
together, and when she had done she sug-
gested that they had seen enough for one
night, and might as well return home.
The next morning, in the course of her
usual morning stroll, Patty went to the
Lindarajah to see if by chance the young
artist was painting there again. but he was
not there, and his easel was just as she had
left it the night before-he had evidently
not been to seek it. As she came out OF
the palace gate she met Mr.. Birley, who
turned and walked across the Plaza de los
Aliibes with her. She felt rather out OF
humor and disinclined to talk, as people do
who, after being disappointed in the hope
of meeting the right person, fall in with
the wrong one. However, Mr.. Birley was
not apt to suspect any one of finding his
company superAuous, so he said, cheerfqliyi
ssYou have not seen our t0uchy htdalgo
to-day, have youg"
aEop Ramon?" said Patty, coldly. "No,
Have you?"
@Not I. And what is more, the walters
tell me he never came back to the hotel at
all last night. They asked me if knew
ANYTHING Of his movements"
! They had crossed the plaza, and were
nearing the Tore de Ia Vela, or watch
tower, as Patty answered;
II hope nothing has happened to him
/ 1 am going to ask Antonio if he has seer
, him."
, "By all means" said Mr.. Birley, leading
tho way up the steps to the door of thu
, tower. "He was going to ask Antonio tt
sit to him, you say"
aPatty was about to answer, when sht
} started.
"Hark! What was that2" she said.
"Only the people shouting to each othe
in the town below.
/, 81 thought heard my name in Spanish
Qona Patricia
GSomehody calling Pepita more likely
: every girl in Granada is called Pepita o
or Augusta. Come and look over tn
: breastwork, and you will see"
y They went round the corner OF the tow
e er, and, leaning on the parapet, looked owe
a it. The descent is here much sleeper tha
: G.ana p4 4asles. Y 8 Garden, and the street
S-,1a inc town beside the Darro lie immediate
: ly beneath. In the clear air the shouts q
< the children at play, Of mpleteers cryin
/. their everlasting ARE, are to their beasts
! and many other sounds rose distinctly t
y their ears.
}, "The voice heard did not sound lik
: these. 1t had mufied sound, but tina
was perhaps because we were farther away.
3 "Antonio does not seem to be here, salt
Mr.. Birley, looking at his watch, "and it i
7 lunch time; we had better go back to th
/. hotel. l daresay we shall find Don Ramon
e there"
Don Ramon was not there, however, anC
; it Is perhaps time to inform the reade
what had happened to that young maj
l since wrapped in his cloak and his offended
dignity, he quilted Miss O'Brian and Mr.
| Birely twenty four hours before,
? Crossing the Plaza de los Allibes, still
feeling hot and angry, he was suddenly
struck with the absurdity of allowing him
self to be put out by an animal like that
as he politely called Mr.. Bireley, and with
} a laugh at his folly, he slackened speed anG
turned towards the Tore de la Vela tc
fulfil his intention of asking old Antonio to
sit for his portrait, AS he neared the
; tower, he began to look for suitable spot
to pose the old guardian in, supposing he
consented to sit; little to one side of the
} steps was bit Of wall that he thought
would make good background, and he was
: scruntinizing its lights and shades when his
, attention was arrested by large green
lizard, which sticking close to the wall,
seemed to be watching him. 1t was such
a remarkably fine specimen of its kind that
Don Ramon went 10 try and get nearer
look at 1t; az he approached the creature
darted away, and looking after it he saw a
doorway that seemed to lead into the base.
ment of the tower He had often heard
of the underground passages leading from
: the Alhambra to the town, and the idea
crossed his mind that perhaps this was the
entrance to one. Having nothing pressing
to do, he thought he would do little ex-
ploring, and feeling his way cautiously by
the wall, he plunged into the darkness in
front Of him.
He had not gone far when suddenly his
feet seemed to glide from under him; he
made violent effort to recover his equilib-
rum, clutched at a smooth sloping surface
which afforded no hold to his fingers, and
then the stone floor seemed to rise and hit
him tremendous blow on the back, and,
all mixed up with his capa, which stuck to
him as he fell, he found himself lying on
the ground in state of bewilderment.
He was soon on his legs, wondering what
on earth had knocked him down and feel
ing about warily for the wall of the passage
At first he could not fndit The corridor
seemed to have suddenly widened. 1t was
pitch dark: he could not even see ray of
light to guide him towards the opening by
which he had entered. Under these cir
cumstapces he drew out his matchbox and
struck light. But what was his surprise
to find that, instead of being in the passage,
| h. s,.,oo.rol L..